Have you ever looked at one of those massive, towering Douglas firs or western red cedars—the kind with roots that grip the forest floor like giant toes and crowns that disappear high in the sky—and wondered to yourself…what stories could this tree tell?
A forest sketch I did while pondering my novel “The Hollow Cedar“
Vulnerable new life
Every tree has its own story to tell. A new seedling faces a thousand dangers every day in the wild, unpredictable forest.
A Douglas fir seedling and beetle I painted for a signage project at Federation Forest.
The few who make it
The true forest giants—the ones that live for hundreds of years—have something to tell us about success in life…about being a survivor, and about beauty and strength in old age.
Six hundred years later, the seedling and its neighbors tower over a bull elk.
It all fits together
Life in a mature forest seems to go on forever, with layer upon layer of living beings—from the teeming soil to the bustling canopy. Some life-forms are tiny, ephemeral, nearly invisible. Others seem impossibly big. It’s a study in contrasts.
A section of an illustration for the Federation Forest project.
Where do we fit in?
I may be biased, but the forests of the Pacific Northwest are the most beautiful, fascinating places on earth. In any season, they are enjoyable—but when I’m in an old-growth forest on a bright summer day, I want to grow roots, sink them deep into the forest floor, and stay there forever.
A snippet of a working sketch for “The Hollow Cedar“.
What about you? Do you have a favorite place? Leave a comment and tell us. And, if you enjoy the blog posts…please consider being a subscriber. The subscriber box is located on the sidebar of the main blog page. Thanks!